2 killed, 2 seriously hurt in crash involving school bus in Kane County, authorities say

KANE COUNTY, Ill. – Two people are dead and two more were seriously injured following a crash involving an occupied school bus in Campton Hills.

Around 3:45 p.m. Monday, Campton Hills Police Department and the Kane County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Empire Road between Burlington Road and IL-47. Authorities said a 2013 Lexus SUV traveling eastbound on Empire Road struck the rear of a Lily Lake Elementary School bus with 31 students and a bus driver on board.

Four occupants were inside the 2013 Lexus SUV.

Authorities said a 19-year-old male passenger and a 20-year-old female passenger, both from Campton Hills, were pronounced dead at the scene. The deceased were graduates of Burlington Central High School.

The 18-year-old male driver and a 17-year-old female passenger were transported to Delnor Hospital before being air-lifted to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago with life-threatening injuries.

The bus was in the process of stopping to drop off a student at the time of the crash. Central Community Unit School District 301 said no students were harmed in the collision and all were released and reunited with their families.

More than 30 students were on their way home from school Monday when their school bus was struck by a car along Empire Road. Our bus riders were treated and released on scene to their parents by emergency responders and administrative staff.  We are thankful for our parents’ calm, patient and cooperative response as we worked together to release their children from the scene. We are making support staff available to students and staff throughout the day on Tuesday to offer accommodations as they need it.”

Dr. Todd Stirn, Superintendent of Schools, Central Community Unit School District 301

Authorities added that the 68-year-old male bus driver of Campton Hills was uninjured.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with authorities working to determine if speed, distracted driving, or drugs and alcohol contributed to the crash.